It's one thing to live from donations, it's another to live up to a faith decision not to spend money on food, but to let God literally prepare the table, day-by-day. While post-war Germany was becoming more and more individualistic and materialistic, and was under threat of a nuclear conflict, the Protestant Sisterhood of Mary formed an intentional counter-culture of child-like dependency on God. Intentional poverty can be a road to deeper intimacy with God, thus experiencing the richness of his daily fatherly care.
In her book 'Realities of Faith' Mother Basilea Schlink relates the story of a butcher in the Odenwald region who had developed a new type of sausage. But it didn't sell at all. Then God reminded him of the biblical principle of giving first fruits and told Him to bring six big sausages to the monastery. After that the sausages sold like crazy.
On another occasion the sisters threw a birthday party. Mother Basilea announced that God would provide all the food, even a special dessert - a fruit salad. The day before the party all the food arrived, as God specificially led people to bring the different ingredients to the monastery, but there was no fruit salad. Only on the day of the feast, when the birthday meal was nearly finished and the time for the missing dessert had come, the doorbell rang - a well-known company brought a huge portion of fruit salad.
These kind of miracles, as special as they are, have been daily practice for the Sisterhood of Mary for more than 50 years. I wouldn't be amazed if God would lead more Christians in such a counter-culture lifestyle of intentional community and dependency on His daily provision. After all Jesus sent out his disciples and told them not to bring food, money or extra clothing - but rather trust God for his daily care.
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